Kathy Ireland Celebrates Champions as Her Brand Moves to No. 5 With Kathy Ireland Championship Honoring Harvey Penick April 26-29, at Onion Creek Club in Austin, Texas

Business Wire, March 16, 2001

Business & Apparel/Golf Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 16, 2001

Lifestyle designer Kathy Ireland announced her new tournament, the Kathy Ireland Championship Honoring Harvey Penick, in partnership with Gaylord Event Television, to take place April 26-29, 2001, at Onion Creek Club in Austin, Texas.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament, which will be telecast live on ESPN2, will benefit the Neighborhood Longhorns Program.

The tournament is the latest in a series of developments for Kathy Ireland Worldwide. Ireland's brand, which just two years ago was acknowledged by Women's Wear Daily as America's 7th most popular in its category, has now moved up to the coveted No. 5 position with women 18-49. It was also named No. 1 in product innovation in its category by America's leading apparel research firm, Kurt Salmon Associates. Ireland chose to celebrate these accomplishments by supporting the LPGA with her tournament.

"This tournament was named to celebrate the concept that everyone is a champion," said Ireland, who began her career as a supermodel and today chairs the board of her design empire. "We can all be champions in so many different ways, whether through athletics, outreach to our communities, or simply by sharing our spirit. I look forward to having the opportunity to celebrate the great athletes of the LPGA, the legendary Harvey Penick and to benefit the outstanding work of the Neighborhood Longhorns Program."

Entering its third year, the 72-hole tournament offers $900,000 in prize money. The tournament recognizes the legendary Penick for having shaped some of golf's most accomplished players through his renowned teaching style. Previous champions are Akiko Fukushima (1999) and Laura Davies (2000).

"We are thrilled Kathy Ireland has teamed up with us on this tournament," said Gaylord Television President Terry Jastrow. "She is a woman of great accomplishment in the worlds of business and philanthropy. Her strong commitment to women in sports and her association with this event is a wonderful opportunity for the LPGA and the tournament."

"The LPGA is very pleased to again have Kathy Ireland associated with an LPGA tournament," said Ty M. Votaw, commissioner of the LPGA. "Kathy is an accomplished businesswoman, and I think it is great to have a leading business professional associated with the best women golfers in the world. Kathy has been and continues to be a committed supporter of the LPGA, and we are excited about having her back in the LPGA tournament family."

Advance tickets for the Kathy Ireland Championship honoring Harvey Penick are available by calling the tournament office at 512/280-4077 or online at www.startickets.com.

Designed by former Masters champion Jimmy Demaret, Onion Creek is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the state with gently rolling fairways shaded by majestic cypress, oak and pecan trees that line the banks of Onion Creek. Known as a shotmakers course, Onion Creek served as the original site of the Legends of Golf, which later evolved into the SENIOR PGA TOUR. In 1996, Ben Crenshaw & Bill Coore designed nine new holes to create a 27-hole championship course.

About Kathy Ireland

Ireland is a wife and mother, lifestyle designer, and chair/CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide. She is one of the nation's top designers of clothing, accessories, furniture, rugs, carpet and other popular lifestyle products.

As one of the leading philanthropic forces in America, Ireland continues her roles as National Chair for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica, Ambassador of Women's Health Issues for the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), EIF's Ambassador for the National Women's Cancer Research Alliance and Ambassador for the Special Olympics. In her "Read With Me" program, Ireland gathers with school children throughout the country to read from favorite children's books. She designed her "Read With Me" Cuddle Chair to encourage reading time between parents and children and to promote literacy in young people.

Ireland was named by UCLA as one of the Top 10 Women's Health Advocates in America, and, this year, she will receive the Outstanding Mother Award from the National Mother's Day Committee. Ireland's award-winning Web site, www.kathyireland.com, provides information to the public in the areas of home, family, fashion and health.

Kathy Ireland Worldwide is represented exclusively by Sterling/Winters Company, Los Angeles.

About the Neighborhood Longhorns Program

The Neighborhood Longhorns Program is an educational resource designed to improve the reading, language arts, mathematics and academic skills of the students of the Austin Independent School District in grades 3 to 8. In partnership with the University of Texas at Austin, the program utilizes support mechanisms that encourage and value the student's personal development, develop the member's leadership skills and inspire his/her desire to pursue higher learning through exposure to the college experience.

The Neighborhood Longhorns Program serves students through on-going programs such as Bevo's Brainiacs Tutoring, Reading Plus Program and Bevo's Grand Slam Reading Program, and provides participants with developmental activities such as the University of Texas Summer Athletic Camps and SpringJam!. Since its inception, the Program has served more than 11,000 students in the Austin Independent School District and has engaged approximately 4,000 university students to serve as volunteers and mentors.